Netru Nee Irundhaai
Krishnan,a story writer visits a film director Kannan who is well known for taking short films. Kannan hasn't met or heard about Krishnan before. But he was desperately looking for a good story to take his next short film. Kannan gives opportunities to new budding artists, writers and musicians and all his short films will have only new faces as he never takes another film with the same artist. Krishnan is also one such person who was looking for an opportunity to tell his story.
So, Krishnan starts to narrate his story to Kannan...
The story
Bala Krishnan (people call him in short as BK) works at one of the reputed shampoo manufacturing company as a Sales Executive. His nature of job would be to travel across India to get new contracts. He has been in his job for past 3 years, but didn't get any work satisfaction or any sort of recognition from his company. Hence he was desperately looking for a switch over...
It was a Friday night on 13th February. He set off from work and was on his way home to Chennai from Bangalore. It was raining heavily. So he was cautious driving his Swift car at a nominal speed and enjoying one of his favorite collection of Melodious Romantic Songs. It's a regular regime for him every weekend to visit his parents at Chennai and back to Bangalore by Sunday night.
After paying at the last toll booth, he thought of having a tea before he could proceed further as he was slightly tired and sleepy. He parked his vehicle at a highway tea shop and had a strong Masala chai. He wanted to attend nature's call, but the shop owner said there is no restroom there, but he could find one within 500 meters at a petrol pump. Anyway, BK had to fill up the car tank for his return, so he went to that gas station and filled up the petrol and parked his vehicle there to goto the rest room.
BK got the key for the restroom from the gas station guy and went to the restroom. A very old rusted lock was hanging on the bolt of a thin metallic tin sheet door clamp. He opened the lock and literally moved aside the metal door which actually didn't require any lock to protect. There was neither a light nor a bolt inside the restroom to lock it from inside. But to his surprise, the restroom was kept clean and no foul smell. He took his mobile and used his mobile torch and started to urinate. Since there was no lock inside, he was humming a song "Netru Aval Irundhaal" which was the last song he heard before parking his vehicle.
He then heard a squeaky sound of the door as if someone was shaking the door. He turned and saw that the door was waving due to the wind which gave that noise. When he zipped his trousers and bent down to take the bucket to flush, the door slammed and gave a thud sound. He got shocked hearing the sudden sound and dropped the phone down and the phone's flash light turned off due to the fall. It was pitch dark and he couldn't literally see anything.
He then heard a squeaky sound of the door as if someone was shaking the door. He turned and saw that the door was waving due to the wind which gave that noise. When he zipped his trousers and bent down to take the bucket to flush, the door slammed and gave a thud sound. He got shocked hearing the sudden sound and dropped the phone down and the phone's flash light turned off due to the fall. It was pitch dark and he couldn't literally see anything.
He somehow managed to find the phone which fell on the floor and turned on the flashlight again. Since it was pitch dark and light was ON and OFF and ON within few fraction of seconds, he saw something white which resembled like another man was standing near him. Out of fear, he swiftly opened the door, gasped some breath and got relaxed confirming that nobody was there and it was just an illusion. He then flushed the restroom and locked the door from outside which was strangely present. Since the restroom was maintained well, nothing much to worry about washing his phone. He locked the door and returned the key to the boy who gave him.
He sat in his car, took his sanitizer and sanitized his hands and his mobile too. When he came out of the gas station, within 100 meters he noticed a man waving at him for a lift. In general BK would not entertain such strangers for providing a lift considering the safety factor. But the man looked very descent and didn't seem to look like a threat to him. So he offered him the lift. To make some conversations with him, he paused the song.
The stranger introduced himself as Kumar. They started to talk to each other and was having a good conversation. Kumar said he was a business man manufacturing one of the leading food product for animals. Though his job was stressful, he was happy with what he was doing and earning a good 8 digit income a year. He continued saying that he has a small bungalow at R.A.Puram with a swimming pool etc. After hearing all these, BK introduced himself to Kumar.
Many things started to float around BK's head after their conversation, mainly about the bungalow and that too at the heart of the City which made BK to dream about one such thing for him. So he was more inquisitive to know more about his business. But wait... He was also thinking on why such a person was asking for a lift when he was earning a 8 digit figure. Now he was in a dilemma whether to believe this guy or not. Also whether to ask him about his business or why he was asking for a lift or whether he can ask for a job etc. Before he could ask anything, Kumar gave his Business Card to BK and told him that if he is looking for a change in his career and be part of his business, then he could very well call him anytime.
BK has a habit of taking a digital copy of business card, bills, invitations etc then and there so that it will be available even in case of unavailability or misplacement of these originals. When he was at a signal near Tambaram Railway Station, he took his phone and took a snapshot of this business card. His mobile phone is capable of converting the business card image to a contact with all the details of the card along the image of the card itself.
As they were waiting for the Green signal, Kumar said it is ok for him to get down there itself and go from there and thanked him for driving him so long. Since it was raining though not heavily, the window glasses were full of mist due to the difference in temperature between outside and inside AC chillness. Kumar waved a bye and gave him a gesture (like make a call) and left that place hurriedly in order not to get drenched.
One way BK was happy that the stranger left the car without inflicting any threat to him, considering the safety factors nowadays. He continued to play his melodies again and it played
(F) Netru nee irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
(M) Irundhaai... Irundhom...
(F) Netru Nee Irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
What a lovely song it is from Maryan, BK told to himself and sang along the song and drove home.
In the morning he woke up and was sipping his cup of strong Kumbakonam degree coffee made by his mom. While checking up his Whatsapp messages, his TV played "Netru Aval Irundhaal" song in Isai Aruvi channel. He then remembered about Kumar and wanted to call him right away to know about him and whether he could talk to him for his career shift. He searched his contact for Kumar and found 7 Kumars' listed with some prefixes and suffixes like "ARS branch head Kumar", "cable operator Kumar", "Kumar (do not pickup)", "Mechanic Kumar" like that. But one name was without any prefix/suffix, but with a different name "Krishna Kumar".
He opened that contact and found the company name, the business which Kumar was talking to him the previous night. He dialled that number, but found to be switched off. He found an alternate number and tried that. It rang, but no one picked up. He tried again for couple of times, but no answer from that end. He thought to himself that, just to while away the time that guy had told about the business and just gave him a fake card like that. But since he was desperate for a change in his job, he wanted to give another last try to both the numbers. As usual the first number was switched off and the second one was ringing. But this time, one person picked up the call.
"Hello, is it Kumar sir?"
"Who?"
"Sorry, Krishna Kumar sir?"
"No, I am his uncle. May I know who this is?"
"Sir, I am Bala Krishnan. Krishna Kumar sir gave his card and asked me to call him. Can I talk to him please?"
"Sorry, you can't talk to him"
"May I know when he will be available?"
"I mean you can't talk to him anymore"
"What? I didn't get you."
"Yeah, Krishna is no more, he passed away a couple of days back."
BK nervously asked "What sir? Are you talking about KK Agro Foods Owner Krishna Kumar?"
"Yes sir"
"Sir, yesterday only I dropped him in my car and he gave his card to me and asked me to call him back. But you are saying he passed away a couple of days back!!!"
"What? No way, today it's his 3rd ritual day going on. Please don't disturb now" and call got hung up.
BK got tensed and was thinking what and all happened last night. How he got the card, from whom etc etc... He searched for the card in his wallet, shirt and pant pockets. It was not there anywhere. He rushed to his car to see whether he had kept it anywhere inside the car itself after taking the snapshot of it. He couldn't find it. The front glass of the car was dirty with dried mud because of last night's rain and the vehicles that went in front of him. So he wanted to switch on the wiper to clean the glass. When he turned on the ignition, the same song, the same lines what he heard after dropping Kumar at the signal played again, exactly the same lines...
(F) Netru nee irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
(M) Irundhaai... Irundhom...
(F) Netru Nee Irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
"Wow...
The story is going good...
Can you please continue the story tomorrow?
I have an important meeting to attend now, so I need to make a move. Please don't mind.
You give me your number, I will call you tonight for sure.
We can meet tomorrow at the same time, but you come to my office.
I am telling you again, the story is really good" told Kannan to Krishnan...
Krishnan: "OK sir, please note down my number"
<Kannan saves his number in his mobile>
Krishnan: "Sir, sometimes signal might not be there, so please note down my another number as well in case its not reachable"
<Kannan saves his other number as well>
Kannan got up and slams his car door and starts the Engine...
The FM Radio plays this song...
(F) Netru nee irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
(M) Irundhaai... Irundhom...
(F) Netru Nee Irundhaai, unnodu naanum irundhen...
-----------------THE END-----------------
